Hood catch



Sept. 8, 1931. R 5 MOORE 1,822,165

HOOD CATCH Filed Feb. 21. 1928 5 AL 1 Z 4 M I "J INVENTOR.

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Patented Sept. 8, 1931 UNITED STATES] RAYMOND G. MOORE, OF BRIDGEPORT,CONNECTICUT HOOD CATCH Application filed February 21, 1928. Serial No.255,958.

The present invention relates to automobile hood catches, and has for anobject to provide an improved latch of the type adapted, in addition toholding down the hood, to

also force the same inwardly, and thereby effectively secure it againstlooseness and rattling. A further object is to provide such a catchwhich will compensate for variations in the position of the hood, sothat wear and inaccurate placing of the catch will not effect its properfunctioning. Another object is to provide a catch in which there will bemetal to metal contact between the compensating parts but so arrangedand cooperating as to always maintain a nonrattling relation free ofsqueaks and scraping noises, as has been the case heretofore with metalto metal contact catches.

With the above and other objects in view,

an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings,and this embodiment will be hereinafter more fully described withreference thereto, and the invention will be finally pointed out in theclaim.

In the drawings:

F igi 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a hood catch,according to the present embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, showing in dotted lines the initial engagingposition with the keeper, and in full lines the final or operativeengaging position;

5 Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a modified form of the invention. 7

Referring to the drawings, the hood catch, according to the presentembodiment of the invention, consists of a cylindrical barrel 10,flanged at its lower end, as at 11, to provide a reduced passage inwhich a rod 12 is slidably engaged, the end of the rod within the barrelbeing provided with a fixed washer 13, between which and the flange 11 aspring 14 is coiled about the rod.

The lower end of the rod 12 has a head or upset 15 engaged in adome-shape slotted base member 16 secured to the sill-piece of theautomobile frame.

The barre1 is provided at its upper end with upstandingears 17 and 18,between which a. handle 10 having a keeper engaging. hook end 20, ispivotally mounted on a cross pin 21. In its disengaged position thehandle is substantially horizontally disposed with its flat base portion22 abuttin the forward upper edge 23 of the barrel, being yieldably heldin such relation by the pressure of the rod 12 engaged with said. flatbase portion 22.. The rearward upper edge 24: of the barrel is spacedfrom the handle to provide a slot in which the haindie may be rotated toa limited extent.

As shown in Fig. 1, and in dotted lines in Fig. 3, the fulcrum point ofthe hook end 20, in the horizontal relation of the handle, is in aradial line intersecting the pivotal axis, so that upon rotation of thehandle the distance between vertical lines intersecting said fulcrumpoint and the pivotal axis decreases proportionately to the degree ofrotation The automobile hood 25, which in its closed position is engagedagainst a stop flange 26, secured to the frame, is provided .with akeeper 27 for engagement by the hook 20.

An inclined cam member 28 is also providedin the hood, below the keeperand .prefer ably integrally formed with its base 29, and upon the barrelthere is provided a projecting cam lug 30, havin'gan inclined engagingface 31 adapted in the engaged relation of the catch to engage andbearupon the cam member 28.

The operation is as follows fAs shown in Fig. 1 the catch is contracted,

force of the spring is distributed into components exerting both adownward and an inward force or pressure upon the hood to securely clampit in closed position. The pivoted keeper engaging handle and hoodmember in addition to drawing the barrel cut is inwardly automaticallycompensates for any wear and irregularities.

In Fig. 4:, I have illustrated a modified form of the invention in whichan upwardly extending inclined cam lug 32 is provided on the hood, andwhich is engaged by a cam portion 33 on the barrel having a relativelylong inclined under surface. The function and operation is the same asin the first embodiment.

I have illustrated and described preferred and satisfactory embodimentsof the invention, but it will be obvious that changes may be madetherein, within the spirit and scope thereof, defined in the appendedclaim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Pat- In a hood catch a hold-down clamp comprising an extensibleand contractible pulldown member pivotally secured at its lower end,co-operating cam means at one side of said holddown member respectivelymounted on said hold-down member and said hood and having a cam surfaceinclined downwardly and outwardly with respect to said hood, a keeperengaging member pivotally mounted upon the upper end of said hold-downmember relatively movable with respect to said cam means and including ahook portion at one side of the pivot and a handle portion at the otherside, stop means on said holddown member adapted to limit pivotalmovement of said pivoted member against lifting pressure on said handleportion to a position in which said hook portion is in substantiallyhorizontal alignment with the pivotal axis and permitting pivotalmovement in the other direction, spring means acting on said hold downmember adapted to yieldingly engage said keeper engaging member withsaidkeeper and exerting a downward pressure thereon, said keeper actingas a fulcrum about which said member is adapted to swing downward- 1yfrom said horizontally aligned position and whereby said pivotal axisand said holddown clamp swings inwardly toward the hood, said cam meansadapted upon the inward swinging of said hold-down member to exert adownward and inward pressure upon the hood under the action of saidspring means.

Signed at Bridgeport, county of Fairfield, and State of Connecticut,this 23rd day of January, 1928.

RAYMOND G. MOORE.

